Susan emily francis



, Patented Nov. |5,I898. S. E. FRANCIS.

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(Application Bled J'nn. 22,` 1898.)

(No Model.)

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-s. E. FRANCIS.

CYCLING SKIRT.

. (Application med Jan. 22, 189e.) y (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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' UNITED STATES APATENT OFFICE.

SUSAN EMILY FRANCIS, OF WELLINGTON, NEW vZEALAND.

CYCLING-SKIRT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 614,097, dated November 15, 18798. l

Application filed J'anuary 22, 1898 Serial No. 667,598. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern.-

Beit known that I, SUSAN EMILY FRANCIS, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at 54 Lambton Quay, Wellington, in the Colony of New Zealand, have invented an Improved Cycling-Skirt, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to skirts worn by ladies when riding upon bicycles and similar vehicles;l and the object of the invention is to provide a skirt which may have an ordinary appearance when the wearer is walking and when required for riding may be easily and rapidly adjusted to provide room for the vertical movement of the legs without dragging the knees or unduly exposing the legs of the rider.

It is well known to lady cyclists that the ordinary skirt is uncomfortable when used for riding and by the movement of the legs is unavoidably raised to an undesirable degree.

According to this invention the shape of the skirt closely follows existing forms; but I provide two gussets in front to give fullness where required for the movement of the knees. The gussets are formed in any ordinary manner, as by inserting a piece of material shaped as required.

When the skirt is used for walking, the gussets,which would otherwise be unsightly, are hidden by buttoning or otherwise fastening the edges of the gussets together, when the skirt has the appearance of an ordinarilycut skirt. These said edges may be so nished and trimmed and the buttons so arranged as to be ornamental and conform in a great measure to fashions in vogue.

In order that my invention may b e most easily understood, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings while giving a detailed description.

Figure l isa front view of the skirt as worn when the wearer is walkin g. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same as worn when the wearer is riding a cycle. Fig. 3 is a front view showing the skirt unfastened for adjusting upon the wearer. Fig. 4 is a back view of the skirt, showing the ordinary saddle-gore. Fig. 5 is a representation of the pattern of the halfback. Fig. 6 is a representation of the pattern of the side piece. Fig. 7 the pattern of the half-front, and Fig. 8 the pattern of a band.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the views.

In making a skirt according tomy invention the material is out out to the shape of the patterns shown in Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive. The half-back a of Fig. 5 is then united by its edge a a2 to the side piece h of Fig. 6 along its edge b b2, and the said side piece b is united by its edge b3 b4 to the half-fronti',1 ot' Fig. 7 along its edge c c2, and the band d of Fig. 8 is united by its edge d d2 to the half-front c in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. '7.

It will be readily understood by a skilled dressmaker that the material is out out in duplicate and that darts, such as shown by dotted lines at h5 in Fig. 6, must be introduced to shape the skirt to the figure of the wearer and that the skirt may be lined and trimmed in any desired manner.

The buttons f of Figs. 1, 2, and 3 are sewed to the side pieces b, and when the skirt is used for walking the bands d are buttoned, as shown in Fig. l, but when used for riding the said bands are unbuttoned and allowed to go free. In this manner fullnesses are formed or the width of the skirt is extended so that accommodation is provided for the knees of the rider to move freely.

Fig. shows the top portion of the front piece and bands let down to adjust the skirt upon the wearer. When in position, the skirt is fastened by uniting the hooks c3, Fig. 3, to the eyes c4 upon the waistband g.

Fig. 4 shows the usual saddle-gore h at the back of the skirt. By this provision the skirt is made to fall gracefully from each side of the saddle.'

Buttonholes f', Fig. 2, may be provided to engage a button suspended from the knee of the knickerbockers of the wearer by a short elastic band to keep the 'skirt in place in a side wind.

The buttons f and hooks and eyes c3 and c1 may be replaced by any ordinary form of fastener; but I have shown such fasteners as have proved to be most useful in practice, and I wish it to be understood that I am aware a skilled person may modify the details of the invention without departing from the spirit of the saine.

IVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

l. In combination with a skirt, a piece c inserted permanently therein, a band secured by one of its edges thereto and having its other edge detachably connected with the skirt to decrease or increase the width thereof, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a skirt, a piece c inserted permanently therein bands (Z secured by one edge to each edge of said piece with their other edges detachably secured to the skirt, the upper part of said piece being detachable from the skirt to fold downwardly, substantially as described.

3. A skirt comprising the side pieces b, l), having the edges b3 b4, the front pieces having the edges c', c2 connected with the side 2o SUSAN EMILY FRANCIS. Witnesses:

W. E. IIUGHns, E. S. BALDWIN. 

